Hard to beat this telescope on planet observing.I have owned this scope for over 25 years and have never thought about trading or selling for something else.A shorter tube would be handy for transport purpose.It works well in less than dark skies.

Even in comparison with more modern apochromats, the Astro-Physics 6" f/12 Superplanetary is an impressive telescope. Essentially perfect optics with no problems with color, just as one might expect with this slow a focal ratio. Great depth of field makes finding sharp focus very easy, and views are sharp across the entire field of view even with simpler eyepiece designs. Planetary detail during times of good seeing is phenomenal. On the other hand, deep sky viewing with low-power Naglers and Panoptics is especially satisfying, with very high contrast resulting in great views of the brighter nebulae and galaxies. The long length of the OTA is noticeable when handling the telescope during setup, takedown and when viewing objects high in the sky. The great images more than make up for the inconvenience, though, in my humble opinion. Highly recommended if you can find one

The AP F/12 Superplanetary is a planetary observers dream. Excellent color correction-essentially color free- and the depth of focus only a long focal length scope can provide. Viewing Saturn through this scope and a Denkmeier binoviewer with 10mm TMB monos is simply stunning. Jupiter through the same setup provides a wealth of detail. A G-11 carries it easily as the overall weight of the OTA is only 20 to 25 pounds. A rock steady combination. Use the best eyepieces you can as the optics really come into their own with top grade orthos or monos. You will be rewarded with sharply resolved planetary detail and high contrast images. If you area a planetary guy/gal and can find one of these wonderful scopes, look through it or buy it! You will not be disappointed.